CEA Conduit Bending and Installation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the term for a conduit bend that rises from a horizontal run to connect to a box mounted on a wall?
- Saddle bend
- Kick (Correct answer)
- Back-to-back bend
- Concentric bend
Correct answer: Kick
A kick is a single bend that angles a conduit run to meet a box or enclosure offset from the original run direction.
Question 2: When bending a three-bend saddle around a 2-inch obstruction, what are the three bend angles typically used?
- 22.5°, 45°, 22.5° (Correct answer)
- 30°, 45°, 30°
- 45°, 90°, 45°
- 15°, 30°, 15°
Correct answer: 22.5°, 45°, 22.5°
A three-bend saddle uses 22.5°, 45°, and 22.5° bends to clear an obstruction while keeping the conduit run parallel.
Question 3: The multiplier used to calculate the distance between bends when making a 30-degree offset is approximately:
- 1.155
- 1.414
- 2.000 (Correct answer)
- 1.732
Correct answer: 2.000
A 30-degree offset uses a multiplier of 2.0; the distance between bends equals the offset height multiplied by 2.0.
Question 4: Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC) differs from Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC) primarily in:
- Color of the outer coating
- Wall thickness and weight (Correct answer)
- Permitted wire fill capacity
- Thread type
Correct answer: Wall thickness and weight
RMC has thicker walls than IMC, making it heavier but providing greater mechanical protection in harsh environments.
Question 5: What does the 'shrink' of a conduit offset refer to?
- The amount the conduit narrows at the bend
- The reduction in overall run length caused by the offset (Correct answer)
- The decrease in wire fill after bending
- The loss of conduit diameter due to bending force
Correct answer: The reduction in overall run length caused by the offset
Shrink is the amount by which a conduit run is shortened along its axis when an offset is added; it must be added to the mark location to hit the target.
Question 6: PVC conduit installed outdoors and exposed to direct sunlight must be:
- Painted white to reflect heat
- Listed as sunlight-resistant (Correct answer)
- Wrapped in UV-protective tape
- Replaced with EMT
Correct answer: Listed as sunlight-resistant
NEC 352.12 requires that PVC conduit exposed to sunlight be listed as sunlight-resistant to prevent UV degradation.
Question 7: What is the correct method for cutting threads on rigid metal conduit in the field?
- Use a hacksaw and then a wire brush
- Use a pipe threader with the correct die size and thread cutting oil (Correct answer)
- Use an angle grinder with a cutting wheel
- Use a reciprocating saw followed by deburring
Correct answer: Use a pipe threader with the correct die size and thread cutting oil
Field threading requires a properly sized die and cutting oil to produce clean, accurate NPT threads without damaging the conduit.
CEA Conduit Bending and Installation 3
What is the term for a conduit bend that rises from a horizontal run to connect to a box mounted on a wall?